With Baguio City, chances are you’ll think of “ube” as one of the words you associate with this tourist spot in Luzon. Travelers and visitors from the area will most likely have a jar of ube yam in their baggage as they go home to their families. Read more on what makes purple yam a must-try for tourists in Baguio.
Ube is not just any flavor or taste; it’s also ingrained in Philippine history. Purple yam, with the scientific name Disocorea alata, is a root crop indigenous to the Philippines, known for its vivid purple color. Way back 1613, the first Tagalog and Spanish dictionary mentioned uvi (now ube) as a type of sweet potato but later on reclassified as a type of yam.
Native to the Philippines, ube is a well-loved flavor among Filipinos. Purple yam adds a mild, sweet, nutty flavor to many delicacies that is not overwhelming nor overpowering. It’s most widely made as ube halaya used in different desserts and food. Halo-halo is not complete without a scoop of halaya on the top.
Ube is popular in the Philippines as the main ingredient and flavoring in food. It’s one of the most common desserts you’ll find in almost every household and is served on many occasions and holidays we have. Still, despite being a favorite flavor, many don’t know that we know ube actually comes from a root crop.
Purple yam can be found anywhere in the country, and there exist many regional variations of the root crop. The National Seed Industry Council recommends these varieties of ube:
Among these varieties, Kinampay is hailed the “Queen of Philippine yams,” most preferred for its sweet aroma and taste and used in many dishes and delicacies locally.
Going up the highlands to Baguio, the Good Shepherd Convent is everyone’s place for pasalubong and delicacies to bring home. At PHP 350 per 24-ounce, each jar is filled with the goodness of sweet nutty ube jam. The Mountain Maid Training Center (MMTC) produces this ube jam of Good Shepherd. They also have other pasalubong products such as strawberry jam, lengua de gato, and peanut brittle.
Last December 2022, Good Shepherd Convent started granting priority access to their store for the tourists in the city to allow them to buy ube jam and their other products at the original price. This follows reports that their products are being resold at higher prices through online shops.
Purple yam is used as the root crop itself or its processed forms in many dishes and desserts. Ube can be found in 3 different forms:
Source: Free Cake Image on Unsplash
Ube jam or paste, more commonly known as ube halaya, is made from grated purple yam, condensed milk, and coconut milk mixed together under low to medium heat for a long time. The resulting product is good as it is for dessert, or used as an ingredient in other sweet delicacies or treats. Some of desserts that use purple yam flavoring or ube:
Purple yam can also be used in dishes like sweet potatoes or other root crops. For example, this homemade ube chips is a great healthier alternative to the commercial potato chips. You can also use it in dishes such as sinigang sa ube, where purple yam is used instead of taro.
Purple yam and taro are both starchy root crops, but they are completely different food ingredients, and have different uses in cooking. While ube is specifically a native to the country, taro is a root crop found in Southeast Asia and not just in the Philippines. You can find both ube and taro conveniently everywhere for everyday use, but you can’t substitute one from the other.
To further illustrate, here’s the other differences between ube and taro:
| Ube (Purple Yam) | Taro (Gabi) |
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This purple root crop is surprisingly loaded with many nutrients you need for your health. Here are the health benefits you can get from eating purple yam:
Purple yam is equipped with lots of vitamins and nutrients that are good for the body. It’s a great source of potassium, carbohydrates, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin A. It’s also rich in flavonoids and antioxidants such as anthocyanins, which also gives ube its vibrant purple hue.
Antioxidants protect the cells from the harmful effects of free radicals in the body, causing inflammation and a weak immune system. Research showed that purple yams are rich in the antioxidant anthocyanin, which may lower the risk of developing cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
If you are constipated, root crops such as purple yam are high in fiber, aiding your bowel movement. Fiber-rich foods enhance intestinal motility and add bulk to the stool, preventing constipation. It also has pectins that can improve digestion, preventing digestive problems and infections.
Root crops contain very little fat content, ideal for weight watchers and muscle builders. You can eat purple yams like sweet potatoes, which are both good sources of complex carbohydrates to give you the energy needed for the day. Adding purple yam to your diet and regular exercise and activity helps in weight management.
Pectin in purple yam is a soluble fiber that can control blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It makes you feel full easier, leading to lower caloric intake and improved insulin resistance. Pectin may help prevent and treat the symptoms of diabetes and obesity. Plant compounds in ube, such as flavonoids, also help control blood sugar.
Studies show that dietary intake of vitamins A, C, and antioxidants reduce the occurrences of asthma attacks. Purple yams are rich in these antioxidants and vitamins A and C.
Antioxidants such as anthocyanin in purple yam protect brain cells from cellular death. Research shows ube also contains diosgenin which can improve memory and brain activity.
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